All Chapters of Betrayed by the Man I Loved: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The morning sun rose above the city, but for Alexander Steele, the day was darker than ever. He hadn't slept a wink. What Isabella had said still rang in his mind: "I'm a mother first."He sat in his office, staring blankly at the headlines that flooded every news channel: "ISABELLA CARTER TO HOLD URGENT PRESS CONFERENCE — SHOCKING REVELATIONS EXPECTED."Roosevelt stood next to him, concern etched on his face. "Sir, are you positive you do not want to stop her? I can have security at the venue in minutes.The muscles in Alexander's jaw clenched. "If I go there, it'll only make things worse. Whatever she's planning… I need to trust that there's a reason.Yet deep in his heart, he was afraid – afraid that this time, he would finally have lost Isabella.Dozens of reporters had assembled around the office of Noble Best, with flashing cameras and questions asked nonstop. At this moment, Isabella stepped into the hall in her white dress, her skin pale but her expression determined. Her hand

Soft, slow breathing from Ethan filled the hospital room. The little boy was sleeping serenely, his small chest rising and falling with each breath. The worst was over, according to the doctors, as he would recover completely.Isabella sat beside his bed, brushing her hand over his hair. She was tired, but she couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Victor's smirking face and heard his threats echoing in her mind.Yet amidst all that fear, there was but one thing that gave her quiet strength: the way Alexander had looked at their son, the pain in his eyes, the tenderness in his voice. This was the man she had fallen in love with, and no matter how hard she tried, she just could not forget.“Mommy?” Ethan’s sleepy voice cut through the stillness.“Yes, baby?” She leaned closer."Is Daddy coming back?"She felt her heart clench. "He's around, sweetheart; Daddy's just making sure we're safe.Ethan smiled weakly and lapsed back into sleep.Isabella let out a deep breath, h

The morning sun shone softly across Isabella's office window as she adjusted the stack of documents on her desk. It had been a week since Ethan was discharged, and her days had finally started to feel normal again – at least, as normal as they could be after everything that had happened.She had missed the rhythm of work — the phone calls, the meetings, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee from the break room. But even as she reviewed reports, her mind kept drifting back to one person — Alexander.He hadn't called much since Ethan's recovery, but she knew he was watching from a distance, making sure they were safe. That was just the kind of man he was: protective, even when he pretended not to care.A soft knock broke her thoughts. “Come in,” she said, not looking up.Her heart stumbled when the door opened and she heard his voice.“Busy already?”Her fingers froze mid-page. Slowly, she lifted her head. “Alexander…”He stood beside the door in his black suit, tall, composed, impossi

Isabella took the police station steps two at a time, her heels slapping against the concrete. Her bag bounced against her hip, and her breath came short and sharp. She hadn't slept. She hadn't eaten. All she'd done since Alexander was hauled away on television was move — phone calls and meetings and messages, building a ladder tall enough to pull him out.At the front desk, a bored officer looked up. “How can I help you?”“Where is he?” Isabella demanded. “I need to see Alexander Steele. Tell whoever’s in charge I’m here.”The officer's expression softened somewhat. "You have to sign in on the visitor forms first, ma'am. And—" He checked a screen, then added, "Detective Daniel asked that you be warned. They say people linked with Victor Hayes have tried intimidating witnesses before.Isabella's skin prickled. "I don't care. Let me see him."They led her down a corridor and into a small waiting room. Fluorescent lights showed no mercy. Isabella signed, and her hands trembled with ever

The morning after Victor's chilling warning, Isabella barely slept. Every creak in the house made her jump; every shadow was a threat. She hadn't told Kaya about the note or the missing toy—she didn't want to terrify her. But deep down, Isabella knew the line had been crossed.Victor wasn’t just after her company anymore; he was after her soul.At 8 a.m., she was in her office, sitting across from Roosevelt and Lisa. The window shades were closed, and the normally lively room felt stifling.“We can’t wait for him to strike again,” Roosevelt said, his voice grave. “If we play defense, he’ll keep hitting us until we lose everything.”Isabella nodded, her complexion pale but determined. “Then we go on offense. We find something—anything—that can take Victor Hayes down.”Lisa adjusted her glasses. "We could dig into Vineyard's financials, but everything there looks clean. He's too smart to leave an obvious trail.""Not if we find the dirt he hid," Roosevelt said, "and I know someone who c